November 18, 2012

I applaud Supervisor Wiener for taking on this issue and being decisive.San
Francisco is both a city and a county, and it’s the only combined city
and county in the state of California. By combining the functions of a
city and county government, we save the taxpayers a significant amount
of money. Our
city has a tremendously diverse population, and the city and county of
San Francisco’s political institutions reflect that. We have an Asian
mayor, and our Board of Supervisors represent diverse constituencies.
The 11 member Board includes 4 Asians, 3 Hispanics, 3 LGBT (1 bisexual
woman, 2 gay men), 1 African American, and 4 women. There are only 2
straight white men on the Board.Many
decisions made by our diverse Board of Supervisors make national news,
particularly legislation that reinforces a nanny-state mentality. Our
legislators have been able to pass a ban on happy meal toys, a ban on
plastic grocery bags, a ban on the yellow pages, and a ten cent
surcharge for grocery bags. Despite
the approval of several nanny-state type ordinances - the current
members of the Board of Supervisors are attuned to what’s happening in
the city, and they are smart. They don’t shy away from making difficult
decisions, and for the most part they put the best interests of the city
and county of San Francisco before their own personal and political
needs.Our
Board of Supervisors passed a resolution that will probably cause
laughter in some quarters, and criticism and incredulity in others. The
unfair and imbalanced Fox News and their brightest light and brain trust Bill O’Reilly
will be all over this story, so that they can reinforce their bigoted
one note image as schoolyard bullies lacking empathy, intelligence, and
compassion.I
wish I could run interference on this one, and shield some of my
friends, neighbors, and fellow city residents, from the taunts and
ribbing. I wish I knew of a way to silence the critics that will come
out of the woodwork, and say “only in San Francisco.”In
2001 our city was unfairly criticized and made fun of because the city changed
their policy, and any transgender employee could have their gender
reassignment surgery covered by the city’s health insurance policy.In
2007, San Francisco was the first city in the nation to provide
healthcare for all of it’s uninsured residents through a program called
Healthy San Francisco. Gender reassignment surgery was not covered under
Healthy San Francisco.Supervisor
Scott Wiener sponsored a resolution asking the health department to
consider removing any restrictions in our city code, to allow gender
reassignment surgeries to be covered by the Healthy San Francisco
program. The resolution passed unanimously, and the Health Commission
concurred, so uninsured transgendered residents enrolled in healthy San
Francisco will now be able to have their gender reassignment surgeries
covered.Supervisor
Wiener happens to be my Supervisor, and I think he’s pretty damn good
at his job. He’s super smart, incredibly sensitive, a good listener, and
he’s very thoughtful. This is what the San Francisco Chronicle had to say about Supervisor Wiener and the policy change.

“Healthy
San Francisco was discriminating against transgender people by denying
them medically necessary health care,” Wiener said.The
discrimination was particularly blatant in that the department provides
and covers hysterectomies for women with cancer, but not for women who
choose to transition to men. Likewise, it provides and covers the
removal of testicles for men with cancer, but not for men transitioning
to women.We’ll
pause here for two points. One: the resolution at the board passed
unanimously, demonstrating what a non-issue this is in San Francisco.
Two: we’ve got to give credit to Wiener,also the proponent of a ban on public nudity, for not shying away from legislation that’ll get him teased because of his name.

The
health department didn’t object to the supervisors’ move, and now the
Health Commission has made it official by also passing a resolution that
the surgeries be covered.“Providing
these services is quite nominal compared to the benefits that would
improve this community’s health outcomes, which is pretty much
priceless,” said Health Commissioner Cecilia Chung, herself a
transgender woman.She
said people who feel like their inner selves don’t match their bodies’
gender are more likely to suffer serious diseases including heart
disease, HIV and hepatitis. Helping them transition through surgery, if
that’s what they choose, can improve their long term health outcomes and
save the city money overall, she said.

The
health department is now creating a new program that will cover all
parts of treating transgender patients including surgeries for those who
opt for them.

I
applaud Supervisor Wiener for taking on this issue and being decisive.
I’m really glad that the Health Commission responded affirmatively, and
embraced this bold initiative.To
any political pundit, talking head, or would-be comedian hoping to
capitalize on this healthcare issue to deride our great city, go right
ahead. We’re ready for it, and we’re ready for you.

Quite frankly if you
don’t live here, and you don’t pay taxes here, it’s none of your damn
business.